Article-positioning means for labeling machines



March 27, 1928. 1,664,144

' C. S. WEEKS ARTICLE POSITIONING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed MarchZO. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 w ump awuen to'c 2M March'27, 1928; 1,664,144 I c. s. WEEKS ARTICLE POSITIONING MEANS FOR. LABELING MACHINES 7 Filed March 20. 1926 4 SheetsSheet -2 lilll L I I IN March 27, 1928.

C. 5. WEEKS ARTICLE POSITIONING-MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed March 20. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I March 27, 1928.

1,664,144 c. s. WEEKS ARTICLE POSITIONING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed March 20. 1926 4 Sheets $heet 4 awuewtoz 'AMQKM $51322; aum

Patented Mar. 27, 1928. UNITED sTATes cnAnLEs s. wEExs, or sou'rn ORANGE, NEW JEasEY.

ARTICLE-IPOSITIONING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES.

Application filed March 20, 1926. Serial No. 86,270.

This invention is an article positioning means designed for use, more particularly,

in conjunction with a labeling machine, although said invention may be adapted for machines other than labeling machines to meet such conditions as require articles to be presented in a predetermined relation to mechanism operatingv to perform useful work on such articles.

It is a common practice in packaging various commodities to utilize containers, such astbottles or-jars, provided or embellished with integral matter of'an identifying or advertising character, such as the brand of the commodity, or the name and address of the packer, which are blown into the glass orembossed in the metal composing the container, suchidpntifying. or advertising mat-. ter occupying a portion of the surface of said container, leaving a definite part of such surface exposed for the reception of a label, the latter being adhesively applied to the exposed free surface. Obviously, it is not desirable to affix labels to the containers in a manner tol'ap over or conceal the identifying matter, in whole or in part, but-so far as I am aware, no provision has heretofore been made in machines for aflixing labels by which a succession of containers of the characte'r described are or may be presented each in a predetermined position with respect to labeling mechanism, whereby labels are applied with precision to successive articles and in amanner to cover the exposed or free surface of each article without lapping over or" covering, in whole or in part, that surface of said article embellished with said identifying or advertising subject-matter.

said presenting mechanism including an appropriate article feeding means, together My invention embodies mechanism for presenting articles in a predetermined positiongwith'respect to a labeling mechanism,

with article contacting means in movable relation to said article feeding'means. The article contacting means is essentially movable with respect to the article feeding means and is co opkerable with the more or less protuberant surface produced upon the arlicle by the presence of the identifying or advertising matter thereon, said articlecontacting means acting to impart rotative movement to the-article while in transit due to the operation of the article feeding means, and which rotative movement has the effect stopping mechanism, preferabl of bodily turning each of the successive ar ticles with respect to the article feeding means in a manner to ultimately present the label receiving surfaces of the successive articles nto the required relation to the labeling mechanism for the reception of labels from said mechanism.

In a practical embodiment of the article contacting means, provision is made, first,

for the use of rotary members which are with relatively stifl flexible bristles which I have ascertained by experience have the capacity of imparting rotative motive to the articles; and, third,- the desired rotative movement is given toeach article at successive stages or periods by the co-operation with the articles of a plurality of rotary brush devices, and of appropriate pusher devices.

In my invention, a plurality of pusher devices are associated with the rotary brush devices to efiect the-introduction of the articles successively, and to displace one article by pushing another article against the one to be displaced,-there being periods of rest in the feed motion given to the articles in the operations of moving said articles ul timately to one of a plurality of carriers, upon oneof which carriers the articles are the labeling mechanism.

It is preferred to employ a plurality of 1 carriers, usually in the form of aprons, one for moving the articles to the first pusher device, and the other for conveying the articles from the rotary brushes and the second pusher device and for presenting said articles to the labeling mechanism. The

first. carrier is usually operated with a continuous motion, whereas the second carrier said second carrier being timed in its action with the operation of the pusher devices:

Cooperating with the pusher device is a embodied in the form of an escapement a apted to be is operated with an intermittent motion,

interposed in. the path of articles and positioned intermediate the stations at which the articles are subjected to the action of the plurality of rotary brushes, the function of said stopping device or escapement being to arrest the remature movement of an article from the rst station toward the second station and to thus act as a mechanical barrier to the articles during the period of operation of the brushes upon an article at the second station.

The brush at the first station acts upon the article to preliminarily position said article for action by the brushes of the second station, the. escapement being in operative position to arrest the feed movement of the article.

The second station includes a plurality of rotary brushes rotatable in opposite directions to each other, and positioned at one side of the path of movement of the articles, and the pushen device at the second station is operable for bodily moving each article out of the line of feed and so as to carry each article to and from a position intermediate the oppositely rotatable' brushes, whereby the article is subjected to the frictional contact of said brushes for the purpose of turning said article into a position wherein the embellished surface is away smooth surface reserved for the label is in facing relation to said labeling mechanism.

Other functions and advanta es of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of my article positloning mechanism associated with an appropriate label-affixing mechanism and illustrating articles in position upon the initial carrier, the feeding carrier, and at the two stations so as to be subjected to the action of the rotary brushing devices. Figure 2 is a plan view of the article positioning means illustrating the second pusher slide in position ready to deliver an article to the second carrier after said article shall have been rotated to the required position by the brushes at the second station.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Figures 1 and 2, but showing the article in position to be moved by the second pusher device out of the line of feed in order to introduce the article into the second station and between'the oppositely rotating brushes, the escapement belng lowered into the path of an article at the first station so as to detain said article at said first station.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view in the plane of the dotted line 4-4 of Figure 7, the plane of the section being below the pusher devices and the brushdevices and illustrating the driving means for the cam shaft, the carriers, and the brush devices.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation in the plane of the dotted line 5--5 of Figure 2, illustrating the escapement and the second pusher device by which the article is carried to the second station.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical section illustrating the relation of the second carrier to the table and to the articles when. the latter shall have been rotated to the positions required for presentation to the labeling mechanism.

Figure 7 is a vertical section in theplane of the dotted line 7-7 of Figure 1."

Figure 8 is a detail sectionin the plane of the dotted line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional elevation of the means by which intermittent feed motion is given to the second carrier, the plane of the section being indicated by the dotted line 9-9 of Figures 1 and 4.

Figures 10 and 11 are detail views of parts to be hereinafter described.

As shown in the drawings, a carrier A is employed for feeding articles Y into the path of a pusher device B, the latter being movable across saidcarrier at the inner delivery portion thereof. The carrier is shown as an endless apron extending a desired distance away from a table C so as to expose said carrier for easy access'by an attendant in order to supply the articles to the carrier as rapidly as required, but obviously the supplypf the articles may be eifccted by mechanical contrivances (not shown). Said carrier runs between article guides a fixed to the table, and at the delivery end said carrier is supported by a pulley a, the latter being positioned below the table C, and being mounted on a shaft A (see Figure 4). Said shaft is connected by a chain an sprocket transmission a with a drive shaft 1), positioned below the table and provided with a power pulley d, or other means for driving said shaft may be resorted to, if desired.

The pusher B is shown as a slide resting upon the table and confined between guides b 7), see Figure 8, one of which is provided with a top flange b which overhangs said slide. The slide is impelled in a direction toward the article Y on the carrier A by a spring B, shown as a coiled spring with one end attached to the slide and the other end anchored on the table. Means are pro; vided for forcibly moving the slide in a direction in opposition to the tension of the spring, said means being timed to periodically actuate the slide in unison with the actions of a second pusher E, a second carrier F, and an article stopping device or escapement G. As shown, the means for moving the pusher slideB is a lever B fulcrumed intermediate its ends, at 6 said lever being positioned for one end portion to have contact with a'stud b fixed on the pusher slide and provided at its other end portion with a friction roller 5 the latter riding against the periphery of a cam B Said cam is attached fixedly to a vertically positioned cam shaft H, extending through new,

table C and journaled in appropriate bearings h, said cam shaft being driven by the shaft D through intermeshlng bevel gears h, if, see Figure 7. I designates a rotary brush mounted on a vertical'shaft i extending through the table and supported in appropriate bearings below said table. Said respect to the carrier A is limited to the exrotary brush is positioned adjacent the delivery end of carrier A" and to the line of movement of pusher slide B. With said rotary brush co-operates a barrier J, shown as a curved plate fixedly attached to one of the carrier guides a, said barrier plate being in facing relation to the brush, and spaced with respect thereto, the interval separating the brush and the barrier plate being a trifle less than the diameter of article Y, see Figures 1, 2 and 3, whereby the bristles of said brush are adapted to have the required contact with a protube'rant'surface on the article Y to effect a partial rotation of said article. The brush 1. and barrier plate J constitute the first station at which the article is stopped in its movement toward the labeling mechanism, and-at this period of dwell in the movement of the article toward the labeling mechanism said article is acted upon by brush I for the purpose of having rotativemovement given to said article, thus placing said article at the first station in position to be acted upon subsequently (at the second station) in order to place each article inthe position for presentation to the labeling mechanism, as will presently appear.

It should be stated that carrier A is operated with a continu0us movement, whereas the pusher slideB is operated with an intermittent movement the period of which is determined by the form of cam B. Furthermore, the travel of the pusher slide with tent of displacing said article from the carrier and to moving it to a position between the rotary brush I and barrier plate J. at the first station, but to eject the article from said first station between the brush and the barrier, a subsequent article is required to be "moved by the pusher slide againstithe article occupying the first station, he impact of the following article against t e preceding article being sufiicient to displace the article from said station, provided the escapement member G. is llfted outv of the path of said article at said first station. The movement of the pusher slide toward the articles is obtained by the action of spring B,

and is not a positive cam actu-.

I ated movement, as a result of which the ar ticles are displaced by spring pressure from the carrier and from thefirst'station, whereby breakage of the articles 1s minimized should the articles become jammed at the first station, for the reason that the spring will not impel .the slide, but will permitit through the first stat-ion andthe carrier F.

Said pusher slide E is confined for movement in a rectilinear path on table 0' by appropriate guiding means, herein shown as a depending rib e on the slide fitting in a slot 6 of. the table (see Figure 7). The inner end portion of said pusher slide E is provided with a metallic member E which carries a friction roller 6', said member E being chambered (at eito receive the free end portion of a spring buflerE (see Fig ure 10), said bufi'er being shown as a leaf spring fixedly secured by screws 6* to the pusher slide. The buffer extends part way across'the end portion of the pusher slide, toward the roller.-e and it is adapted for contact with an article on the inward travel of the slide E, such contact being a yielding one so that the bride! will be pressed toward or into chamber a should the. resistance of the article in the event of jamming said artic'les at the second station, be sutficient to bend or deflect the spring, thus minimizing the liability of breakage, or should frag.

ments of a broken article become lodged in the mechanism. v

, Said second pusherv slide, E, is moved in one direction by springpressure and is positively moved in an opposite direction bycam controlled mechanism, the latter acting to periodically impart movement to said slide and to time such movements with the operation of the escapement G, the second carsure, .forwhioh purpose I use a spring K,-,I15

one end of which is, attached to'the slide and the other endanchored on a fixed part, such as the bridge plate is.

- The means for positively actuating the second pusher slide are shown as a vertical rock shaft E lever arms E*, E and a 1 cam E, and a stud .e, see Figures. 1, 2, 3,

and 7. The stud e depends from theguide' ribe'oit the pusher slide, and with this stud contacts one end of the lever arm E (see Figure 7), thelatter being fixed to the lower end of rock shaft E, which rock shaft ex- .te-ndsthrough'table G and is journaled in appropriate bearin s (not shown). The lever arm E is like ly secured to the upper, portion ofthe rock shaft, and at its free end rier, 'F, and the first pusher slide B. The I said lever arm is provided with a friction roller 6 which is presented into frictional, contactnvith the periphery of the cam E, the latter being fixedly attached to the vertical cam shaft H at a point below the cam B by which pusher slide 18 is actuated, as

heretofore described. The rib e on the bottom of the pusher-slide E extends inwardly beyond the springbutler E, such extended portion of the slide-rib 6 being indicated at e in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, and on the end of such extension a of said slide is fixedly secured a contact post E composed of any material suitable for the purpose. Said contact post 1 extends upwardly from the extension a of said pusher slide E, and passes through the slot e oftable C, said post being in facing relation to the spring butler E and being separated from the latter by an interval the width of which is equal, approximately, to the diameter of=an article Y. With the slide E in the position of Figure 2, an article ejected from the first station between brush I and barrier J is adapted to be shoved out of the first station and into the sfiace intervening spring bufi'er E and contact post E of slide E, as shown in Figure 2, and upon the inward movement of the slide, under the tension of springK, and when permitted by cam E, the article is moved over table C by the slide and its connected parts, bufi'er E and post E wl'iereby the article is carried by slide E away from the normal line of article feed (which extends through slide B and carrier 'F), and said article is thus shifted by I 7 said slide E and its contained parts into the second station.

The second station at which the article is permitted to dwell for a brief period is constituted in part by a certain area of table C and in part by a set of co-operating rotary devices herein shownas brushes L, M, the same being adjacent the path of pusher slide E and contiguous to the loading end of second carrier F. Said brushes are supported on brush shafts Z, m, for rotation therewith, said brush shafts extending through table C and journaled in appropriate bearings thereon. The brushes L, M, are positively rotated and are driven in opposite directions to each other, said brushes being separated by an interval the width of which is approximately less than the diaineter of the article Y, as a result of which the bristles of the complemental set of brushes are adapted for frictional contact with the protuberant surface of the article Y for the purpose of imparting rotative movement to said article while it is at rest temporarily between said brushes, at which time the slide E is at rest, while the brushes are rotating. On the outward movement of slide E the article is carried away from the second station and from rotary brushes L. by the movement of the station bet-ween brush I and barrier J, it

being understood that the movement of the article from the first station toward and against the article. after the latter shall have been acted upon by brushes L, M, and restored to the line of feed, results in the displacement of said article, thus restored away from the second pusher slide E and thereby is shoved or impelled upon the loading end of the second carrier F.

The shafts a, Z, m, of brushes 1, L, M, are provided with pulleys for the reception of suitable belts, as shown in Figure 4., The brush shaft 2' is driven from cam shaft H by a belt 2', whereas the shafts Z, m, are driven by belts Z, m, from brush shaft 2', the belt m being arcrossed belt, so that all the brushes I, L, M, are continuously driven at the speeds required, and brushes L, M, are rotated in opposite direction to each other.

The brushesl, L, M, are of any appropriate form, size and materials, but I have found by experience that a brush with relatively flexible metallic bristles is particularly well adapted for action upon an article a portion of the'surface of which is roughened, more or less, by the provision thereon of identification or advertising whereby said brush is adapted to impart to said article a semi-rotative movement.

For moving the articles after treatment at the second station, any means suitable for the purpose may be employed. One such means is shown as the carrier 15 con sisting of an endless apron. Said carrier apron is in operative relation to table G, the loading end of said carrier apron being adjacent the path of the second slide E, and said end being supported by a pulley carried by ahorizontal shaft 7', see Figures l and 6. The carrier apron is moved interthe same operating in a. well understood manner to impart motion intermittently to matter,

i cam lug provided at a suitable point on the shaft 7 for driving the carrier apron with a step motion. This carrier apron F moves the articles along table C and presents said articles in predetermined positions to a labeling mechanism 0, one form of which is depicted in Figure 1. It is apparent that any appropriate labeling mech anism may be used; but in the drawings I have illustrated a labeling mechanism wherein the labels are contained in a magazine 0 that is movable relatively to thepath of article feed by a vibratory lever 0, substantially as disclosed in a Patent 1,et25,351,v

granted to me on August 8, 1922, for label ing machine.

A stopping device is employed intermediate the first station and the second station for arresting the movement of articles prematurely to the second station, which articles are supplied automatically by continuously acting carrier A and intermittently acting pusher slide B. Said stopping device is shown in Figure 5 as an escapement bar extending alongside the first station, between the brush I and pusher slide E, so that the bar is adapted to be interposed between two articles, one occupying the first station and the other being escapement bar is hung'at g to a lug g on the table, the free end of said bar. being slidable in a keeper g fixed to the table adjacent the second station. The escapement bar is depressed into the path of an article occupying the first station by a spring G, one end of which is attached to the escapement bar intermediate its ends, whereas the other end of the spring is attached to the bridge member is, see Figure 5. Said escapement bar is provided with a roller shoe which is adapted to lie in the path of a the second pusher slide E, said cam lug g acting to lift the escapement bar out of the path of feed of the article when the slide E is in outward position and to retain said escapement bar in the raised position during that period at which the article is moved away from the first. statio and into position between the parts E? E of said pusher slide E. With the pusher slide E at rest in the position of Figures 2 and5, the escapement bar G is held in a raised position by cam lug g andthus lifted out of the path of the article to be shoved out of the first station between brush I and barrier J, but as the pusher slide E begins its inward movement, under theimpulse of spring K depresses the escapement bar G into the and as determined by the contour of cam E",

the cam lug 57 moves with the pusher slide E away from roller 9' whereupon spring. G

path of the article occupying the first station, sothat said article cannot be ejected p from the first station for that period required for the second pusher slide to carry an article into the second station, for brushes L M to act upon said article at said second station, and for said pusher slide E to return said article from the second station to a position in alinement with the article at the first station and with the second carrier F, whereupon the cam'lug 9 again lifts the escapement bar'in orderthat'the article when displaced from the first station will push the article resting between postsE E of the second slide away from said slide and onto the carrier F. The cam E by which movement is given to the second pusher slide is of such formation that it not only permits the spring K to move the slide under spring pressure in one direction, but it controls the motion of the second pusher slide in a manner to impart thereto a period of rest or dwell when said slide shall have been moved inwardly to carry an article to 'article while it occupies the second station. under the control of pusherslide E. Said e The use of the intermittently actuated carrier apron F in conjunction with a labeling mechanism the magazine of which is reciprocable with respect to the path of the article feed, makes it desirable to employ some means for precluding displacement of the article upon the carrier apron by the contact of the movable magazine with said article in directly applying a labelfrom the magazine to the article. For retaining the articles against displacement under such conditions, I haye shown a. forked retaining member P positioned in line with thefmagazine 0' and" adapted to partially embrace the article while the latter remains seated upon the carrier apron F. This forked retaining member. is carried by a slide 1), under the partial control of a spring p, with which forked member co-operates a lever arm on a rock shaft 9, see Figures 1 and 4:. aid rock shaft is provided with a lever arm 1?, to which is linked one end of a rod 9, the

other end of which is prqvided with a fric= the carrier F. With the article-moved bythe carrier into a position in register with the magazine, as shown in Figure ,1, and

with the carrier F at rest, theforked retainer is moved by' lever arm 9 into a position to embrace the article, whereupon the magazine 0 is shifted to apply a label to said article, at which time the retainer precludes containers constitute a characteristic roughdisplacement of said article from the car glass containers having a brand or name of the packer blown into the glass, or with metal containers having the brand or packers name embossed in the metal, which blown glass containers or embossed metal ness, more or less, upon a portion only of the surface. As indicative of this condition, I have shown each container Y in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, as provided with a roughenedsurface at y, leaving the label receiving surface 7 in a relatively smooth condition. Obviously, it is desirable to apply the label to the smooth surface 1 only of the container, and without permitting the end portions of said label to overlap the embellished surface 4 partially or wholly, but the act of supplying the containers in indiscriminate or irregular fashion to the carrier A requires the mechanism herein disclosed to act automatically in imparting to each container.

or article a semi-rotative motion, or a succession of semi-rotative movements, in order that the articles when advanced to the second carrier F will each occupy'such a position on said carrier that said article will present its label receiving surface .y' opposite to or in register with the labelingmechanism O. In the main, the operation of the mechanism will be understood from the preceding description; but it may be summarized as follows, taking one article as an example. It is moved by carrier A into a position in line with pusher slide B, the inward motion of which shoves the article into the first station, between brush I and barrier J. Assuming that the roughened surface 4 of the article is presented to brush I, the bristles of said rotary brush act frictionally upon said surface y for imparting a semi-rotative movement to the article, but with the smooth surface y of the article presented to the brush, the article will remain at rest between the barrier and the brush. With the escapement bar G raised and the slide E in the displace the first article away from the station between I, J and to shove it between parts E E of pusher slide E, the second article thus assuming position at the first station. The first article is now carried by pusher slide E to the second station, the

escapement bar G being lowered into the path of the second article at the first station. The inward movement of pusher slide E thus positions the first article between brushes L, M, at which time slide E remains 1 at rest, but the brushes are driven so that the lie between the circular planes of the brushes,

as shown in Figure 1. The article is thus moved by the brushes, individually or conjointly, for the smooth surface 3 to face in a direction toward the labeling mechanism and for the roughened surface 1 to face in a direction away from the labeling mechanism. The action of br shes L M on the article while at the secon tation is effected during the period of rest of the second pusher slide at the limit of its inward movement, but on the outward movement of the slide E, the article is carried away from the second station and restored to a position in line with the article at the first station, so that as the second pusher slide reaches the limit of its outward movement, the cam 9 acts to lift the escapement bar. G. With the first article thus restored to a position in line with the second article and with the carrier F, after the said article shall have been rotated to the required position for presentation of its label receiving surface'to the label magazine, the second article is ejected from the first station by a following (third) article, and this movement of the second article pushes the first article away from the second pusher slide and shoves the said first article upon the second carrier F by which it is ultimately presented in the. desired position to the label magazine and to the forked retainer.- i

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an article positioning mechanism of the class described, the combination with means for moving articles in a definite path, of positively actuated article contacting means in movable relation to said path and operable by frictional contact with the surface of an article or imparting a partial rotative movement to said article.

- 2. In an article positioning mechanism of the class described, the combination with means for moving an article with a period of rest or dwell and in a definite path, of article contacting means in rotatable relation to said path and operable during the period of rest or dwell and by frictional contact with the surface of an article for imparting a partial rotative movement thereto.

8. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination of means for moving articles in a definite path and with a period or rest or dwelhand po sitively actuated article contacting means operable by direct frictional contact withthe surface of an article and during the period of rest or dwell in the feed movement of said article for imparting a partial rotative movement thereto.

4. In an article positioning mechanism. the combination of means for moving articles in a definite path and with successive periods of rest or dwell, and a plurality of article contacting devices each positioned for direct frictional contact with the surface of an article and said article contact devices being operable successively on said article during the periods of rest or dwell for imparting successive periods of rotative movement of said article.

5. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination of means for moving articles in a definite path and with a period of rest or dwell, and article contacting means in rotatable relation to the article path and positioned for frictional wiping contact directly with the surface of said article during its period of rest or dwell for imparting rotative movement thereto. M/

6. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination of means for moving an article in a definite path and with successive periods of rest or dwell, and a plurality of article contacting devices in rotatable relation to the article path, said article contacting devices being positively actuated and being positioned for frictional contact with the surface of an article during ts successive periods of rest or dwell.

7. In an article positioning mechanism,

the combination with means for moving an article in a definite path, of a rotatable brush positioned for frictional contact directly with the surface of an article and operable for imparting rotative movement to Said article. I

8. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination with means for'inoving an article in a. definite path, of a plurality of rotary brush devices positioned for successive contact directly with the surface of an article and each operable by frictional contact therewith for imparting a rotative movement to the article. c

9. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination with means for moving an article in a definite path, and with a period of rest or dwell, of a rotary brush positioned for frictional contact with the snrface'ofthe.

particle at its period of restordwell, said brush being operable for imparting rotative movement bodily to said article.

10. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination with means for moving an article in a definite path. and with successive periods of rest or dwell, of a plurality of' rotary brushes positioned contiguous to said article path and adapted for frictional contact directly with the surface of an article at the successive periods of rest or dwell for imparting rotative movement thereto.

11. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination of means for moving in a definite path an article the surface of which is irregular by the presence of identification matter thereon. and article contacting means positioned forfrictional contact with such.

' positioned for frictional contact with such irregular surface of the article whereby the rotatiye movement of said article contacting means is communicated to said article. I

13. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination of means for moving in a definite path and with a period of rest or dwell an, article the surface of which is irregular by the presence of identification matter thereon, article contacting means positioned for frictional contact with such irregular surface of the article during the period of rest or dwell, and means for positively rotating said article-contacting means whereby the article is rotated bodilyby -such frictional contact therewith of the articlepositioning means, p

14:. In an article positioning mechanism, the combination with means for moving in a definite path an article .the surface of which is irregular by the presence of identification matter thereon, a rotary brush positioned adjacent the article path and adapted for rotative frictional contact with the irregular iia surface of the article, and means for positively rotating said brush whereby the article isrotated bodily by the frictional contact of said brushtherewitln 15. In an article pos ti matter thereon, and a plurality of rotary and'adapted for contact with the irregular hing mechanism, the combination with means for moving in a definite path and with periods ofrest or dwell an article the surface 'of'which is regular by *the presence of identification brushes positioned adjacent the article path surface of the article during the periods of rest or dwell for imparting rotative movement to said article.

16. In an article positioning mechanism, a plurality of devices operable for moving articles in a definite path and to successive positions by the contact of one article with another article, in combination with means positioned for rotatiye frictional contact with an article for imparting rotative movement to each article.

17. In an article positioning mechanism, a plurality of devices operable for moving articles to successive positions by the Contact of a following article with a preceding article, in combination with positively actuated means having wiping contact with an article fOIi imparting rotative movement to each artic e.

18. In an article positioning mechanism, a plurality of devices for moving articles in a definite path (and by the impact of a following article with a preceding article, in

combination with a rotatable brush-posh tioned for frictional contact with an article and operable for imparting a partial rotative movement thereto.

19., In anarticle positioning mechanism, a plurality of devices for intermittently moving articlesin a definite path and by the pressure of a following article with a preceding article, in combination with a plurality of devices in rotatable relation to the article path and positioned for frictional contact with said articles to impart rotative movement thereto.

20. In an article positioning mechanism, means for moving an article in a definite path, an article rotative means at one side of said path, and means for shifting articles out of the path and restoring them to said path, said shifting means being operable in.

presenting an article to said article rotative means.

21. In an article positioning mechanism, means for moving articles in a definite path, a brush device positioned at one side of said article path and operable on an article for imparting rotative movement thereto, and means for presenting articles successively to said brush device, said presenting means being operable in shifting each article out of the article path and in restoring the article to said article path.

22. In an article positioning mechanism, means for moving articles in adefinite path, a brush device positioned at one side of said article path and operable on an article for imparting rotative movement thereto, and an article pusher operable for presenting arti- :cles successively to said brush device.

23. In an article positioning mechanism, a rotary brush operable for imparting a partial rotative movement to an article, means for feeding articles successively to said rotary brush, a second rotary brush positioned adjacent the path of movement of the articles, and means co-operating with the sec-- ond rotary brush for presenting articles successively thereto.

24. In an article positioning mechanism, a plurality of rotary brush devices operable. successively upon an article for inipartin a partial rotative movement thereto, in com inat-ion with means for arresting the movement of an article from one device to the other device.

25. In an article positioning mechanism, a plurality of rotary brush devices operable successively upon an article for imparting a partial rotative movement thereto, in combination with means for feeding articles from one brush device to the succeeding' brush device, and means for precluding the feed of an article from one brush device to the succeeding brush device until the succeeding brush device shall have acted upon an article presented thereto.

26. In an article positioning mechanism, a plurality'of brush devices operable succes sively upon an article for imparting rotat ive movement thereto, in combination with article feeding means, and an escapement member positioned in the path of the article feed and operable to preclude the movement of an article from one brush device to the other brush device.

27. In an article positioning mechanism, a

plurality of brush devices operable successively upon an article for imparting rotative movement thereto, in combination with article feeding means, an escapement member positioned in the path of article feed, and means for automatically withdrawing said escapement member from said path.

28. In an article positioningmechanism, a rotary brush mechanism operable for imparting rotative movement to an article, in

operable to feed an article under spring pressure to said brush mechanism.

29. In an article positioning mechanism, a rotary brush mechanism operable for imparting rotative movementto an article in combinaion with an article usher member operable to feed an article un er spring pressure to said brush mechanism, and cam controlled means for controlling the action of said pusher member and for positively returning to an active position said pusher member.

.30. In an article positioning mechanism, a plurality of brush mechanisms each operable for imparting a partial rotative movement to an article, in combination with a plurality of article pushers each operable for moving an article under spring pressure to one of said brush mechanisms, and cam controlled mechanism for efi'ecting the return in due order of said pusher members to active positions.

. combination with an article pusher member 31. The combination with a labeling mechanism, of article positioning means including a brush mechanism operable for imparting rotative movement to an article, and a carrier for moving the articles so positioned into co-opera-tive relation to said labeling mechanism.

32. The combination with labeling mechanism, of article positioning means including an intermittent article feed and a'brush mechanism operable for imparting a rotative movement to said article to present a label receiving surface on said article in facing relation to the labeling mechanism, and an intermittent article carrier for moving the articles so positioned from said article positioning means to said labeling mechanism.

33. In a labeling machine, the combination with label-applying means, of means formoving an article to said label-applying means with intervals of rest or dwell in the movement of said article, and. positively actuated means having wiping contact with said article prior to the presentation of the article to the label-applying means said positively actuated means acting on said article for rotating the same during the period of its rest or dwell.

. 34. In a labeling machine, the combination with label-applying means, of feeding means upon which is imposed-an article adapted for unrestrained rotative movement, and positively-actuated means co-operable with said article prior to its presentation to the label-applying means, said POStlVGlY-r actuated means having frictional contact with a roughened surface of said article and operating for rotating the article bodily to present a label-receiving surface in the required relation to the labelapplying means.

35. In a labeling machine, the combina- 7 tion with label-affixing mechanism, and article-feed mechanism whereon an article isimposed for free rotation relativelyto said article-feed mechanism, of rotary mechanism operable by frictional contact directly with the surface of said article for imparting bodily rotative movement to said article whereby the position of said article is shifted to said article-feed mechanism, of a plurality of rotative brush devices positioned relatively to said article-feed mechanism for direct contact withthe surface'of an article, said brush devices being operable during the transportation stage of the article for imparting bodily rotative movement to said article with respect to the 'article-feed-mechanism whereby the article is presented to the label-aflixing mechanism for a definite label-receiving surface of said article to receive the label.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 19 day of March, 1926.

' CHAS. 5. WEEKS. 

